September 2009

September 1, 2009

Today Colombia is Passion announced the schedule for the Discover Colombia Through Its Heart exhibit. The event includes photo opportunities with the real Juan Valdez, free Colombian coffee, free bouquets of Colombian flowers, and two free concerts featuring popular local Colombian musicians. The free tours of the exhibit allow individuals to enjoy a small piece of Colombia - it’s music, people, cities, opportunities, culture and much more.

The first stop of the international exhibit will include 47 larger than life sculptures seven interactive 13-foot heart sculptures displayed in Washington’s Union Station, and 40 eight-foot heart sculptures which will appear along Pennsylvania Avenue, the National Mall, and the streets of Washington, D.C. Each one of the smaller hearts is artistically painted to highlight an unknown aspect of Colombia. Each of the larger hearts will spotlight a different facet of Colombia from its culture, music and talented artists, to the nation’s beautiful landscape, cities, flora and fauna.

The exhibition and events will be free and open to the public and press. See Map

Discover Colombia Through Its Heart Main Exhibit

When: September 5th -15thWhere: Union Station & 40 locations around Washington, D.C.Details: Experience Colombia at Union Station by exploring seven interactive, 13-foot heart sculptures, each spotlighting a different facet of the country. Get to know Colombia by discovering forty additional 8-foot hearts all around Washington D.C.

Free Juan Valdez Coffee

When: September 5th 15th, all dayWhere: Union Station, Main HallDetails: Stop by and grab a cup of Colombian coffee at the Hospitality Heart in Union Station.

When: Tuesday, September 8th, all dayWhere: Union Station & locations around Washington, D.C.Details: 25,000 Colombian flowers will be given out in bouquets. Colombia supplies more than 75 percent of all
cut flowers imported into the United States.

Colombian Community Day

When: Saturday, September 12th, 11 am 3 pm, with a 12 noon presentation of the Colombia Nos Une AwardWhere: Union Station, Main HallDetails: Listen to traditional Colombian music performed by Colombia Tropical. Presentation of the Colombian
Footprint in the World community service award. Award recipients to be announced.

Meet Juan Valdez

When: September 14th & 15th, 12 Noon 3 pm, 4 pm 7 pmWhere: Union Station, Main HallDetails: Juan Valdez will be on hand for photos at the main exhibit in Union Station.

Note to Media: Media interested in covering the exhibit or the events should notify Gretchen Hamel with Colombia is Passion at gretchen@endeavourgs.com or 202.403.4354. Union Station filming will require the submission of a form. This form can be sent to each outlet upon request.

Background

The Colombia is Passion campaign was developed to promote the country abroad and encourage business investment, tourism and enhanced cultural relations with nations around the world. The logo of the campaign is a heart, which symbolizes the passion of the Colombian people the driving force that guides their creativity, determination, warmth and kindness.

Colombia Is Passion Exhibit Concludes its First International Leg
New York, NY - Colombia Is Passion brings to a close today the first leg of its international cultural exhibit, Discover Colombia Through Its Heart.
The exhibit first kicked off in the U.S. capital on September 5th and concluded on the 15th before debuting in New York on September 22nd.
We showed more than 750,000 people in 18 days the real Colombia. Our passion led to our success, and the world is getting to see and know the real Colombia, said Colombia is Passion General Director, Maria Claudia Lacouture. The exhibit was a huge success and the numbers prove it.
Exhibit highlights:
More than 750,000 people visited the exhibit: 250,000 in Washington and 500,000 in New York City.
Juan Valdez posed for more than 5,000 photos.
10 public events were held in Washington, D.C. and New York, including 3 concerts performed by native Colombians.
Each day, 2,000 cups of Juan Valdez coffee were served.
Over one dozen tours were given to schoolchildren.
Colombia Is Passion provided lectures on Colombia to more than 10,000 students at their schools in Washington, D.C. and New York City.
40,000 Colombian cut flowers were given away; sponsored by Asocoflores.
100,000 maps of the 40 heart locations were distributed.
Brought passion to the economy: Colombia Is Passion and Minister Luis Plata rang the opening bell at NASDAQ, the world’s largest exchange company.
Elmo and SpongeBob SquarePants posed for pictures with children at the hearts in Times Square.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe toured the event with members of his cabinet, Colombian Ambassador to the UN Claudia Bloom, and Colombian Ambassador to the US Carolina Barco.
Three newlywed couples took wedding photos at the Grand Central Terminal exhibit.
In Washington, ranking congressional and executive branch officials; NGO leaders; art, culture and business community leaders; and other diplomatic officials attended a reception celebrating the first stop of the international tour.
Prominent members of New York’s art, fashion, and social scene attended the opening of the exhibit, which honored actor John Leguizamo. Guest included Andres and Lauren Santo Domingo, Alejandro Santo Domingo, designer Carlos de Souza, artist Andres Serrano, model and actress Veronica Webb, designer Jamison Ernest and model girlfriend Kristy McQuade, designer Victor de Souza, Colombian-born Jorge Afanador and model Sandra Nyanchoko, stylist and designer Benjamin Liu, and Tim Hunt of the Warhol Foundation.
At each location there was a plain white 8-foot heart where exhibit visitors could leave their personal thoughts about the exhibit and Colombia. Within one day of the New York opening, the heart was completely covered with warm thoughts and expressions from people around the world.
People going through Union Station and Grand Central explored our country, tasted our coffee, heard our music, experienced our culture, saw and felt our passion, and learned the truth about our country. Colombia’s passion was seen and accepted by all who came to the exhibit. It was amazing to me the number of people who came up to me with their map and camera to show me that they’d seen every heart around the city, said Lacouture.
The exhibit, Discover Colombia Through Its Heart, is an international cultural exhibit sponsored by Colombia is Passion. It is comprised of 47 hearts: 7 interactive hearts more than 13 feet that make up the main exhibit and 40 hearts 8-foot hearts placed on sidewalks and parks, and in public venues. The aim of the exhibit is to change the public’s perception of Colombia by educating it about the reality of Colombia. The next stop for the exhibit is Shanghai, China, this coming March.

Washington, D.C. The Embassy of Colombia today welcomed the release of a new report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), titled, Countering Threats to Security and Stability in a Failing State: Lessons from Colombia. The report examines how Colombia, in partnership with the United States, made progress in restoring the rule of law, security and democracy, after its decades-long battle against illegal armed groups fueled largely by drug trafficking.

We applaud CSIS for this insightful report, which provides a portrait of Colombia’s long, complex history and progress in combating the rogue forces within our country that have repeatedly sought to dismantle security and democracy, stated Colombian Ambassador to the United States Carolina Barco.

The report states, Beleaguered by well-armed insurgents bent on overthrowing the state and by paramilitary forces whose presence gravely undermined legitimate authority all financed by illegal narcotics Colombia teetered on the brink of disorder. The story of how Colombia was able to reverse this decline by taking control of previously ungoverned areas of the country and providing security to a far larger portion of its citizens may offer important lessons to other imperiled states.

During a CSIS panel discussion this morning, the report’s authors addressed how lessons learned from Colombia might be instructive for U.S. policy in Afghanistan and Iraq. As a nation, we have learned many lessons over the past three or four decades, and our experience gives us the knowledge and credibility to provide guidance to Mexico, Afghanistan, Guatemala and a host of other nations currently experiencing the same challenges we faced in the 1980s and 1990s, Barco stated.

Working hand-in-hand with the United States, we have achieved many successes together, but we know that there is work left to be done. The groups that threaten stability and security continue to retool and find new ways to wreak havoc, and this is not just a national or bilateral issue. The threats they pose have regional and transnational impacts, said Barco. The United States, Colombia and other nations in the Western Hemisphere must continue working together on the road to peace and prosperity.

Colombia and the United States join efforts to continue the cooperation in the fight against drugs

Colombia and the United States join efforts to continue the cooperation in the fight against drugs

The President Alvaro Uribe met this Monday the new Director of the US Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, with whom he analized the programs of cooperation that currently are being developed by the two countries to fight drug trafficking, as well as the cooperation with other countries of the region. Among the Colombian programs, President Uribe highlighted the success of the Familias Fuardabosques, an initiative aiming towards eradication and substitution of illicit crops.Bogota, Sept 28th (SP). The President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe Vlez, met this Monday the new Anti-Drug Czar of the United States, Gil Kerlikowske, with whom he addressed the importance of continuing the cooperation in the fight against illicit drugs.
The meeting was held in Casa de Nario, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jaime Bermdez, the Minister of Interior and Justice, Fabio Valencia Cossio; the Director of Acción Social, Diego Molano, the General Director of the National Police, General Oscar Naranjo, and the Ambassador of the United States in Colombia, William Brownfield.
During the meeting, topics as the chain links, from the production to the consumption of illegal drugs, were also addressed..
Besides, President Uribe told Mr. Kerlikowske about the constitutional ammendment bill submitted before the Colombian Congress by the Government, seeking to prohibit the use, possession, and consumption of the personal dose. This, paired with a two-fold apporach: providing treatment to the consumers, understanding it constitutes a public health matter, and prosecuting the distributors.
President Uribe explained that the country is going forward in the constitutional process to outlaw the consumption, but also being careful enough not to confuse the addict sick person with the criminal who distributes drugs.
Also, they talked about the importance of continuing with cooperation programs aiming to eradication and substitution of illicit crops, such as the Familias Guardabosques Program and the cooperation with other countries from the region.
Uribe Vlez exposed to the ONDCP Director a balance of the results obtained by Colombia during the struggle against this very complex and lucrative illegal business of drug trafficking.
Gil Kerliowske started today a three-day visit to Colombia, in which he will meet with the authorities to take a closer look to the programs of prevention and interdiction of drug trafficking.
He is a veteran Chief of the Seattle Police Department, city of the State of Washington, at the northeast end of the United States. There, he worked since year 2000 and was distinguished for helping reduce the crime rate to a record minimum in the history of that State.

Colombia assumed the chair of the Summit of the Americas from Trinidad and Tobago

Colombia assumed the chair of the Summit of the Americas from Trinidad and Tobago

OAS. September 21, 2009. The Republic of Colombia assumed Monday the Chair of the Summit of the Americas from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at a meeting of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG), the principal organ of the Process of the Summits of the Americas.
The event, held at the Simón Bolívar Conference Room at the Headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC, was attended by the OAS Secretary General, Jos Miguel Insulza, the Minister of Foreign Relations of Trinidad and Tobago, Paula Gopee-Scoon, the Minister of Foreign Relations of Colombia, Jaime Bermdez Merizalde, and the Minister of Foreign Relations of Chile, Mariano Fernández.
The Fifth Summit of the Americas took place in April 2009 in Puerto Espaa. The Fifth Summit will take place in Cartagena de Indias, at a date to be confirmed.
Secretary General Insulza congratulated the government of Trinidad and Tobago on the organization of the past Summit, which he said was a great succes. He also noted with affection and high esteem that Colombia is assuming the Chair of the next Summit.
The Summit of Port of Spain has set the tone for future hemispheric relations and I am honored to attend the passing of the baton to the next Summit, he said.
We are convinced that Colombia will, almost like no other, reach the goals that this Summit requires. We know that the organization will be as good as the one we have seen in the recent period, and particularly the political guidance will be broad and bright enough to vitalize this new era of Inter-American relations under a sign of unity, co-operation and peace, he added.
Minister Gopee-Scoon said it had been an honor and a privilege for her country to have hosted the historic event of the Summit. The outcome of the Fifth Summit would not have been possible were it not for the invaluable spirit of partnership and cooperation of each member state and our other hemispheric partners the Secretary General, the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States and the Summit of the Americas Secretariat, other institutions of the Joint Summit Working Group, and representatives of the peoples of our countries civil society, the youth, labor and the private sector.
Minister Bermdez Merizalde stressed the determination of Colombia, its people and its Government, to guarantee the success of the Summit.
We hope we will have as much consensus as possible, and be able to take specific steps towards the strengthening of the Summit itself, of each and every Member State and of the multilateral organizations in the region.
Cartagena will be host, and we hope you all will be there. We look forward to this Summit being a success for you, for the Summit itself and for all the people of this continent, he added.
The formal transfer of the Chair was the passing of the statute Inukshuk, which is now the Symbol of the Summits of the Americas. The figure, which represents leadership and regional integration, was presented for the first time by the Government of Canada to the Government of Argentina during preparations for the Fourth Summit of the Americas.

This year Colombia plays a leading role at AFI’s Latin American Film Festival
Three Colombian films and one documentary will be featured at AFI Silver Spring.
From the 23rd of September until the 12th of October, the AFI Latin American Film Festival will showcase the best filmmaking from Latin America, including the following three Colombian films and one documentary.

LOS ACTORES DEL CONFLICTO (The Actors in the Conflict)
Thursday September 24, 9pm
Friday September 25 10:00pm
Writer/director Lisandro Duque Naranjo crafts a blackly comic satire of Colombia’s ongoing conflict. Three Colombian mimes, Alvaro (Mario Duarte), Tamar (Coraima Torres) and Santiago (Vicente Luna), think they’ve hit the big time when wealthy businessman Norberto (Nicolas Montero) offers to fund their tour of Spain. But when Norberto gets arrested, the mimes discover the merchandise they’ve been "watching" for him consists of high-grade weaponry. Still intent on their dreams of Spanish stardom, the mimes hatch a plan to head out to the frontier and pose as guerilla fighters who want to trade arms for amnestyand exile to Spain. But out in the jungle, the difference between acting and reality is lost on the soldiers and rebels engaged in the conflict. Audience Award, 2008 Cartagena Film Festival.

PERRO COME PERRO
Friday October 2 9:30pm
Saturday October 3 10:00pm
Victor, sent by his mob boss El Orejón to collect from a pair of deadbeat drug-dealing twins, makes the spontaneous decision to keep the cash for himself. Now hiding out in a decrepit hotel in downtown Cali, he forms an uneasy alliance with Eusebio, who has a contract on his head after killing El Orejón’s hotheaded godson in an argument. Together, they must outsmart and outlast the steady stream of murderous minions sent to do El Orejón’s dirty work. Director Carlos Moreno’s wildly entertaining, stylish and action-packed debut film was Colombia’s Official Oscar Selection for the 2008 Academy Awards.

LA PASION DE GABRIEL
Saturday, Octobre 10, 5:45pm
Sunday Octobre 11, 3:15pm
Andrs Parra won the Best Actor prize at this year’s Guadalajara Film Festival for his portrayal of an energetic young priest, Father Gabriel, who tries to make a difference in the lives of the poor parishioners of his tiny mountain village in the Colombian jungle. In this remote and inhospitable locale, pragmatism trumps tradition when Gabriel tries to engage both sides of the ongoing conflict, the army and the FARC guerillas, as they pass through his village. And devoted as he is to his spiritual callings, he gladly gives in to the desires of the flesh with the comely Silvia (Maria Cecilia Sanchez). Despite Gabriel’s efforts to do good, he discovers that there are those in this world who prefer that he fail, and will make him pay for his beliefs.

BIBLIOBURRO
Saturday October 10, 1:45pm
Sunday October 11, 1:00pm
In northern Colombia, a schoolteacher named Luis Soriano dedicates himself to a Quixotic task: strapping dozens of books to the backs of his faithful donkeys, Alfa and Beto, and delivering literature and lessons to remote rural areas via the "Biblioburro." Droll yet deeply serious, Carlos Zipagauta's documentary is both a subtly moving look at the ravages of war and an unforgettable portrait of one man’s devotion to his community.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS- by Jim Farber. Starting next Tuesday, New York will witness a sweet invasion, when 47 hearts sprout up in key locales around town. If you go through Chelsea Park, Battery Park or any number of other key corners in the city, you won’t be able to avoid the colorful, giant sculptures meant to school you on all things Colombia. Forty-seven pieces make up the interactive show, seven giant ones, the rest more modestly proportioned. It’s not unlike the cow figures that marched into the city several years back, but with a more pointed and worthy cultural agenda.
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August 17, 2009

ALL TALK ON TRADE

ALL TALK ON TRADE

WASHINGTON POST-Editorial. Is President Obama a free trader? He has said so -- many times. At the April Group of 20 summit in London, he announced that he and the other assembled leaders had "rejected the protectionism that could deepen this crisis. History tells us that turning inward can help turn a downturn into a depression." From Wall Street on Monday, he declared that "this administration is committed to pursuing expanded trade and new trade agreements." And in a CNBC interview later that day, he said it is in "our interest and the world's interest to avoid protectionism." He urged Congress to mute -- though not eliminate -- "Buy American" provisions in the stimulus bill.
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Come and learn about the Confluence of History and Geography present in the work of the Colombian architect Rogelio Salmona.

The Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University, The Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization, The Embassy of Colombia to the United States and The Permanent Mission of Colombia to the OAS, cordially invites you to the lecture

Colombian architect Rogelio Salmona: Confluence of History and Geography

This event will feature presentations by world-renowned historian, critic, and Professor Kenneth Frampton; and architect Maria Elvira Madrian, wife and collaborator of Rogelio Salmona. This talk will feature an analysis of Rogelio Salmona’s unique architectural style which has become synonymous with that of Colombia. Special attention will be placed on how Salmona utilized his country’s culture, geography and history to create the structures that have won him much praise worldwide.

NEWSWEEK- By David A. Graham. The invention of a nation: Deng Xiaoping (left), Margaret Thatcher (center), and Alvaro Uribe transformed their countries in a relatively short span.
Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva comes to the U.N. this week as arguably the world's most popular leaderBarack Obama thinks so, at least. Lula's popularity stems from the huge changes he has made to Brazilian society, especially in bringing greater socioeconomic equality, and stewarding the economy. But he isn't the only leader to reinvent his country's political and national culture in a relatively short time. Here are some postwar leaders who wrought drastic social, economic, or political change during their time in office.Leader: Alvaro Uribe VelezCountry: ColombiaYears in office: 7
Colombia's president has seen his approval ratings shoot as high as 91 percent as he has scored repeated victories against the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, who had plagued the country for decades, taking over as the main agent of violence after the demise of the major drug cartels. The high point for Uribe was a dramatic rescue of 15 high-profile hostages in summer 2008. He has also worked to dismantle the right-wing paramilitaries who have alleged to have been condoned by his administration. These actions have made him so popular that his supporters were able to change the Constitution twice to allow him to run for a second, andif a referendum greenlighted by Colombian legislators passespossibly a third, term.Read Article